I've never been a fan of Toyota. As the sensible choice of car for the masses, Toyotas are more like an appliance: something that does the job efficiently and reliably. It is hard to get excited about a refrigerator, even a Maytag.
Lately, Toyota has been enjoying a reputation as the industry leader in hybrid technology. Honda was actually the first to offer a hybrid, but the Insight only had two seats and did not sell well. The first generation Toyota Prius did not sell well either, and it was only with the introduction of a larger, second generation model and rising oil prices that hybrids finally caught mainstream attention.
Now, of course, the Prius is the car for people who want to show how environmentally conscious they are. It out-sells the similarly priced Camry Hybrid, which has the same technology, and the high performance Honda Accord Hybrid has been discontinued due to disappointing sales. The problem with the Camry and the Accord is they appear too similar to the regular non-hybrid versions. So the Prius is all about image and it's quite pricey too. For half the price, Toyota sells a car that is light on image, but high in actual economy: the Yaris.
The Yaris is the smallest Toyota, replacing the Tercel and the unloved Echo. It's not a pretty car. The hatchback version resembles a frog, with oversized headlights and big humped rear fenders. The four-door version is much better proportioned, with smaller headlights and a real trunk. It looks more like a small Camry, without the unfortunate bulges. Lately there has been something wrong about Toyota's styling that seems a little wrong. The Camry and Corolla have odd proportions, and the headlights bulge outward from the fenders unnecessarily. Perhaps it is a deliberate attempt to encourage sales of the more expensive Lexus versions. Still, at least the Yaris looks more solid than the SMART city car.
The Yaris grew on me during a two-hour drive from Vancouver to Seattle, even though everything about it screamed “cost-cutting.” The tires are too small and slippery, the trunk lid is flimsy and takes several thumps to close, and the parcel shelf in the hatchback version is held up by one piece of string.
The version I drove came with power windows and keyless entry. It also came with a decent stereo that played MP3 cds without too much fuss. Being a Toyota, it's rock hard reliable, though not luxurious. It's a fun and zippy runabout to drive in the city and it's an efficient and surprisingly roomy car for road trips.
So as one of the cheapest cars you can buy, the frugal Yaris sedan proves cheap does not mean terrible.
